What is a pressure washer?

These useful devices are motor-powered cleaning machines that produce a jet of water at high pressure (the degree of which can be variable on different machines). It's the power of this jet of water that's effective at removing all sorts of dirt and grime from a variety of surfaces including, for instance, cars, walls, roofs and patio floors.

Available types

These machines generally fall into one of two categories: petrol washers and electric washers. From there, they can be divided further into additional categories. With one of these appliances at your disposal, cleaning stubborn dirt is easy, especially if hot water is used. A hot water model is particularly useful as it heats water automatically for effective cleaning. Cold water models, though also effective, must be filled with water that's been preheated to the desired temperature. What's important to remember in this regard is that you need to check the maximum water feed temperature before filling the device. This varies from product to product and can be anywhere between 40°C to over 100°C.

Factors to consider

The type of pressure washer you go for will very much depend on the work you plan to carry out with it. To determine what sort of device best suits which tasks, you need to consider various factors.

The power of a machine is measured in watts and indicates the size of its motor - the higher the wattage, the more powerful and effective it is. Water flow rate indicates how much water (volume measured in litres) a washer will use in an hour and varies from less than 350 l/h to over 500 l/h. Lastly, the pump pressure (measured in bars) shows you the amount of force used to produce the water. The higher this is, the stronger the force and therefore, the better the machine is at removing dirt. For light duty work such as cleaning barbecues, rubbish bins or small patios, 100 bars should be suitable. Light to medium duty chores require 100 to 110 bars – this includes cleaning gutters, hot tubs, lawn mowers, etc. Medium to heavy duty work requires 110 to 113 bars (or more) and includes cleaning roofs, large patios or decks, concrete walls, and so on. If you're opting for an electric model, then it's advisable to check how far the electricity connection will be from the item you need to clean. Washer cables vary in length and it could be the case that they're not long enough for what you need to do. In such cases, you can of course use an extension cord but you may also want to consider a portable model as an alternative.

Useful features

Some manufacturers produce washers that come with all sorts of nifty accessories, such as an additional high pressure hose, detergent suction hose, dirt blaster, foam nozzle, etc. One particularly practical accessory is a surface cleaner, used for splash-free washing of large, even surfaces. A detergent tank can also be useful since cleaning agents can be mixed with water to boost performance and cleaning power. If these and other accessories are not included with a washer, they can often be bought separately.

Top manufacturers

Popular manufacturers include of these essential, popular appliances include Bosch, Makita, Kärcher and Nilfisk.